Local Statement on the death penalty case of Tangaraju s/o Suppiah in Singapore

Monday, 24.04.2023 – Sunday, 01.10.2023

Public event

The Embassy of Switzerland in Singapore issues the following statement together with the Delegation of the European Union and the diplomatic missions of the EU Member States and the diplomatic mission of Norway in Singapore:

The EU Delegation and the diplomatic missions of the EU Member States and of Norway and Switzerland call on the Singapore authorities to halt the execution of Tangaraju s/o Suppiah, and to commute his sentence to a non-capital sentence.

The EU Delegation and the diplomatic missions of the EU Member States and  of Norway and Switzerland recall that the EU and our countries strongly oppose the use of capital punishment at all times and in all circumstances, which can never be justified, and advocate for Singapore to adopt a moratorium on all executions as a positive first step towards its abolition.

Today, more than two thirds of the countries of the world have become abolitionist in law or practice, which confirms a global trend in favour of the abolition of the death penalty. No evidence exists to show that the death penalty serves as a more efficient deterrent to crime than imprisonment. Moreover, rehabilitation as an objective of modern criminal law is rendered impossible by the application of capital punishment. Furthermore, any errors – inevitable in any legal system – are irreversible.

The EU Delegation and the diplomatic missions of the EU Member States and of Norway and Switzerland will continue to actively work to further the universal trend towards the eradication of the death penalty.

Location: Singapore